Combined harvesting and transporting machine

ABSTRACT

A combined harvesting and transporting forestry machine includes a multi-directional pivotable and extensible boom assembly (1) having a crosswise jib (2) fitted at its outermost end. A clamp harvester (4) is carried by one end of the crosswise jib (2). A loading gripper (3) is carried by the other end of the crosswise jib (2). The crosswise jib (2) is adapted to pivot about an axle (8) such that either tool (3,4) may be moved to a working position.

The present invention relates to combining the actions of a harvestingmachine and a transporting machine in a single machine.

The invention is based on the fact that the current machine stock isprimarily suitable for clear cutting and even for that it is needlesslyexpensive. Normally, the cutting or logging operations are performed byusing a separate cutting or harvesting machine, whose price can be e.g.about 1,5-2 million Finnish marks, and also by using a separatetransporting machine which generally costs over 1 million Finnish marksand, thus, such a combination of machines costing nearly 3 millionFinnish marks is not particularly feasible for economical thinningoperations and, when the combination has been used for this type ofthinning work, the remaining trees have suffered damage. Hence, anobject of the present invention is to provide a novel type of forestrymachine, whose primary application concerns thinning operations butwhich is naturally useful for other cutting operations as well. A noveltype of machine of the invention is particularly suitable for thecooperation between a logger and a machine operator, wherein the loggerleads the way felling and cutting the heavy trees and the machine isused for lopping and cutting the tops and for picking up the cut timberto be carried away by the transporting machine. Such a combination iseven economically sound as the cutting by manual labour produces qualitylogs and results in a more through exploitation of timber. In addition,the logging as manual labour is relatively inexpensive, e.g. about FIM20,-/solid meter, while the production of spruce pulp as manual labourincurs about treble costs.

A novel forestry machine of the invention is characterized by what isset forth in the characterizing section of claim 1.

The invention will now be described with reference made to theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic exemplary view of one transporting machinesuitable for carrying timber and adaptable to practicing the presentinvention.

FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5 show a schematic side view and frontal view,respectively, of a detail according to one embodiment of the inventionin two different operating positions.

FIG. 6 is a schematic frontal view showing a detail in anotherembodiment of the invention, and

FIGS. 7 and 8 show schematically another detail of the invention.

As shown in FIGS. 1 through 5 of the invention includes a conventionalboom assembly 1 having its outer end fitted with a crosswise jib 2. Oneend of the crosswise jib 2 is provided with a clamp harvester 4 and theother end with a loading gripper 3. The crosswise jib 2 is adapted topivot in its longitudinal direction around an axle 8 for turning eitherone of the ends 3 or 4 to a working position, as required.

FIGS. 2 through 5 illustrate in more detail a linkage between thecrossarm 2 and the rest of the boom assembly 1. In FIG. 2 and 3 thecrosswise jib is shown in a side view and in an end view from theoutermost end of the boom assembly with the loading gripper in its loweroperating position. Respectively, FIG. 3 illustrates the clamp harvester4 in its lower operating position. Naturally, these operating positionsare just examples and the jib 2 can be locked in any desired pivotedposition, for example in a position forming a substantially longitudinalextension for the rest of the boom assembly 1 for providing a maximumreach. The crosswise jib 2 is adapted to pivot around the axle 8. Thispivoting action can be effected e.g. by means of a hydraulic cylinder 5and associated gear rack 6 fitted inside the boom assembly 1, said gearrack 6 being in cooperation with a gear 7 mounted on the axle 8, wherebythe shifting of said gear rack 6 forward or backward rotates the axle 8and the crosswise jib 2 mounted thereon. The axle 8 is journalled to theboom assembly 1. This pivoting action of the jib 2 can naturally beeffected in many other ways known as such to a person skilled in theart. In view of practical operation, it is also preferred that the clampharvester 4 and/or the loading gripper 3 be provided with locking meansfor locking the same rigidly to the crosswise jib 2 whenever necessary.Such a locking means may comprise e.g. a hydraulically operated lockingcone, one embodiment of which will described in more detail hereinbelowin conjunction with FIGS. 5a and 5. Naturally also other locking meansknown as such to a skilled person can be used for locking the loadinggripper and the clamp harvester rigidly to the crosswise jib.

The clamp harvester 4 and loading gripper 3 mounted on the end of thecrosswise jib 2 are further equipped with usually hydraulically operatedcontrol elements, enabling the normal functions and operations thereofthe same way as conventional separate loading grippers and clampharvesters.

FIG. 6 illustrates a crosswise jib assembly divided into two jibsections 2a and 2b, said clamp harvester 4 and loading gripper 3 beinglocated on different sides of the actual boom assembly 1. By means ofthis solution the crosswise jib can be balanced in a relatively simplemanner. The crosswise jib is preferably mounted on the pivoting axle 8in such a manner that the relative angle of different jib sections 2aand 2b can be varied in the longitudinal direction of the crosswise jib.In addition, the jib section 2b extending towards the gripper 1 isprovided with a hydraulic cylinder 10 and a pivot joint 9 for swingingthe gripper 1 aside when passing the boom 1.

FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate one embodiment of a cone locking for locking aclamp harvester and/or a loading gripper rigidly relative to thecrosswise jib 2a, 2b. FIG. 7 shows the cone locking with the locking onand FIG. 8 with the locking off. This cone locking comprises anoperating cylinder 14, fitted inside the jib section 2a, 2b and having apiston 15 provided with a crosswise pin 13 which is fitted in a guideopening 16 included in the jib section 2a, 2b for movement in thelongitudinal direction of the opening. To the crosswise pin 13 isjournalled a link element 17 to which is in turn journalled a pivotingmeans 11 by means of a pivoting pin 12, which is substantiallyperpendicular to the crosswise pin 13 and to which the clamp harvester 4and/or the loading gripper 3 can be coupled.

I claim:
 1. A combined harvesting and transporting machine, comprising amulti-directionally pivotable and extensible boom assembly (1), an axlecarried by the outermost end of the boom assembly, a crosswise jib (2)pivotally connected to the outermost end of the boom assembly such thatsaid jib has two ends extending from the outermost end of the boomassembly, one end of the jib carrying a clamp harvester (4) and theother end of the jib carrying a loading gripper (3), and means forselectively pivoting said crosswise jib (2) in its longitudinaldirection around the axle such that either end of the crosswise jib maybe moved to a working position.
 2. A machine as set forth in claim 1,further comprising first locking means for selectively locking the clampharvester rigidly to the crosswise jib (2).
 3. A machine as set forth inclaim 2, wherein the first locking means comprises a hydraulicallyoperated locking cone.
 4. A machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein themeans for selectively pivoting includes a gear (7) mounted on the axle(8), a hydraulic cylinder (5) carried by the boom assembly (1), and agear rack (6) movably carried by the hydraulic cylinder such that thegear rack engages the gear.
 5. A machine as set forth in claim 1,wherein the crosswise jib includes two sections (2a, 2b), each sectionbeing located on an opposite side of the boom assembly (1), one jibsection (2a) pivotally carrying at the outermost end thereof the clampharvester (4) and the other jib section (2b) pivotally carrying theloading gripper (3).
 6. A machine as set forth in claim 5, wherein therelative angle between the jib sections (2a, 2b) is adjustable in thelongitudinal direction of the crosswise jib.
 7. A machine as set forthin claim 1, further comprising a second locking means for selectivelylocking the loading gripper rigidly to the crosswise jib.
 8. A machineas set forth in claim 7, wherein said second locking means comprises ahydraulically operated locking cone.
 9. A machine as set forth in claim1, wherein said crosswise jib is pivotable through at least 180 degreeswith respect to the boom assembly.